Costco.com now sells the world’s first CarbonFree® Certified carbon neutral paper shredder, made by GoECOlife™. The paper shredder has earned Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Certified Label, the world's leading carbon neutral product label and the first in the U.S.
To earn the CarbonFree® Product Certification, the GoECOlife™ SOHO 8-Sheet ULTRA-QUIET™ Paper Shredder underwent a rigorous product life-cycle assessment performed by WSP Group to determine the carbon footprint. In addition to using energy-saving technology, GoECOlife™ reduced the remaining carbon footprint through support of Carbonfund.org’s third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects.
“We put our shredder through Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Product Certification because of its rigor and third party life-cycle assessment,” said Sam Lee, spokesperson for GoECOlife™. “The Certification provides a credible way for consumers to differentiate products that minimize their impact on climate change and the environment.”
The personal GoECOlife™ shredder utilizes an energy-saving technology that prevents vampire energy waste when the shredder is not in use and plugged in. The shredder is manufactured with materials that meet Restriction of Hazardous Substances standards (RoHS-compliant) and is packaged with recycled, partially recycled and/or biodegradable materials.
The shredder is available at this link on Costco.com (online only); also, Costco.com is running a promotion through February on the paper shredder! The promo includes a $20 instant rebate, a 12-pack of CarbonFree® Certified GoECOlife™ Lubricant Sheets, an “Envy Green” Reusable Canvas Tote and a “Green Facts” Mouse Pad.
You can also learn more about Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Certified Label and Product Certification by visiting www.carbonfund.org/products.

11 days til Valentine's Day!
“They do not love that do not show their love.” — William Shakespeare, The Two Gentleman of Verona, 1590-1591
Show your love for both your sweetheart and Mother Earth this Valentine’s Day with one of Erica Weiner Jewelry’s charming and environmentally-conscious creations. As a Carbonfund.org partner, Manhattan-based designer Erica Weiner reduces her business’s carbon footprint by 300 percent each year by donating to energy efficiency, reforestation, and renewable energy projects in the US and abroad through Carbonfund.org’s carbon reduction program. But of course, her business's commitment doesn’t stop there. Nearly half of the materials that go into her quirky baubles and jewels are vintage, sourced from dead stocks, and crafted from repurposed materials — and all are hand-refurbished, hand-made, and packaged for sale using reused materials.
For her special edition 2010 Valentine’s Day collection, Erica Weiner drew from her treasure trove of hundreds of ’70s-era heart-shaped charms, lockets, and chains she’s salvaged over the years from vintage shops and overstock warehouses around New England. The resulting bracelets, earrings, and necklaces are all absolutely fanciful and one-of-a-kind, all offering a funky mix of shapes, colors, and metals. (My fave: The Limited Edition V-Day Vintage Heart Charm Bracelet on Pink Chain.) Don’t like hearts? Check out her Double Initial Gold Vermeil Letterpress Necklace, which will be individually crafted for you and your Valentine — bearing each of your initials — by combining antique moveable iron type pieces originally used on hand-cranked Vandercook Proof Presses.
Visit the Erica Weiner Jewelry store on Etsy.com to see the whole Valentine’s Day collection. You can also locate a boutique in your area that sells Erica Weiner Jewelry or view her list of merchants by state.

The January 31 deadline for nations to submit their emissions reduction pledges has passed, but the UN feels that it may not be enough to keep the Earth’s temperature from rising beyond the approximately two-degree target temperature established during the Copenhagen climate conference held in December.Fifty-five nations, including China, the US, India, as well as the European Union, have submitted their goals in reducing emissions. Together they produce about 78 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and have varying commitment letters pledging to reduce emissions anywhere from 17 percent to 45 percent by 2020.
Developed countries also made commitments supporting financial assistance to less developed countries to adapt to climate change.
Despite the efforts being made by nations worldwide, some analysts believe that efforts have fallen short as a result of emissions not being cut enough and the lack of a legally binding treaty. Regardless of both the positive and negative reviews, UN climate chief Yvo de Boer believes that the pledges sent in by the January 31 deadline should at least help to reinvigorate negotiations toward a stronger agreement on climate and hopes that a more binding pact can be completed at the UN climate conference in Mexico City at the end of this year.

12 days til Valentine's Day!
There are only twelve days to Valentine’s Day and you still don’t have chocolate to give to that special someone. What are you going to do? Luckily, Drexelius chocolate is here to help! Drexelius serves up some of the most delicious chocolates around. If your love is anything like me, they’ll love the Divine Dark Gift Set. Or try something a little more romantic with the Chocolate and Wine Pairing Kit. Perhaps you’d rather have what Best Life Magazine calls the Best Chocolate on the Planet.
Drexelius has made its entire operations carbon neutral through a partnership with Carbonfund.org. Further, Molly Drexelius explains that “our chocolate makers not only make delicious chocolate, but work hard to create a better environment, living and future for the cacao farmers and our world.”
So pick up some Valentine’s Day treats at Drexelius chocolates today. If you use Carbonfund.org’s exclusive promo code “DCLOVECF” you’ll get 15% off your first order! (Offer expires 2/14/2010.)

Following on the heels of Obama’s State of the Union Address, the White House announced that the federal government is taking steps to cut its energy use and reduce its heat-trapping, greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2020. The government, the largest user of energy resources in the country, would save $8 to $11 billion in energy costs over the course of the next decade.
Federal agencies are beginning to invest in clean energy technologies, such as tapping landfills for renewable energy, putting energy management systems in government buildings, and replacing older vehicles with more fuel efficient hybrid models. “As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient,” President Obama said in a statement encouraging job creation and pollution reduction technologies.
For a full list of agencies and their plans to reduce pollution and increase efficiency visit: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/20100128-ceq-agency-stories.pdf

13 days til Valentine's Day!
Impress your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with a thoughtful, green gift from CarbonFree®Partner Soul Flower. Soul Flower is a retail mail order and online store that focuses on clothing and eco-friendly goods for the entire family. A “lifestyle” store with an emphasis on products that are made from organic cotton or hemp, the clothing and goods that come from Soul Flower are primarily from Fair TradeTM companies, made in cooperatives, or are from small independent businesses in the USA. They have been a CarbonFree®Partner since 2006 and have worked with us during that time to offset the emissions related to their business operations by supporting our renewable energy projects.
Soul Flower offers everything from funky clothing for women and men to cool duds for little buds. My recommendation? Go for one of their organic printed tees or hip hats. For more great gift ideas, or to check out their goods for yourself, visit: www.soul-flower.com.

The new EnviroCitizen.org - an online green community offering information and products for sustainable lifestyles - has partnered with Carbonfund.org to make it easy for shoppers to purchase eco-friendly products and also reduce their carbon footprint.
EnviroCitizen.org supports our Truck Stop Electrification and New Bedford Landfill Gas-to-Energy projects. With products like cleaning supplies, furniture, personal care items, building supplies and much more, EnviroCitizen.org is committed to assisting individuals and businesses choose products that will help them live more lightly on the earth so that we can leave the earth in a better state for each future generation.
EnviroCitizen.org offers a comprehensive array of eco-friendly products and services available today. Their team works every day to bring them to you, provide ideas, and help you choose a greener lifestyle. You will also find useful and interesting information on EnviroCitizen.org and a forum to help you engage with others to learn and share new ideas. Visit www.envirocitizen.org!

Carbonfund.org partner, Colorado Lending Source, has helped Colorado’s small businesses obtain development loans for nearly 20 years. Now for the third consecutive year, they have done this CarbonFree®. By investing in Carbonfund.org’s reforestation projects, CLS has offset its carbon footprint and has taken other steps as well to reduce its footprint.
CLS has also implemented a variety of sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental impact. CLS gives its employees Eco Passes, encouraging them to opt for public transit and webinars. It has also reduced energy use in-house through a variety of programs, such as turning out its lights for an hour in the Lights Out Lunch program, using motion detector lights to conserve energy in offices, and encouraging its employees to recycle.
To learn more and view their resources, you can visit their website at: www.coloradolendingsource.org.